The present invention generally relates to controls for light bars and sirens and, in particular, a system in which a control head controls a light bar and/or a siren via signals over a power line.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a light bar/siren and control head according to the prior art. In general, a control head 102 is hard wired to a siren 104 via a cable 106 which frequently has a plurality of wires (e.g., 8 wires). A light bar 108 is hard wired to the siren via a wire harness 110 which frequently has a plurality of wires (e.g., 16 wires). Each wire harness 106, 110 can be expensive and at times difficult to locate within a vehicle since the light bar 108 and siren 104 tend to be external to the vehicle and the control head 102 tends to be internally located within the passenger compartment.
This configuration of connecting the control head 102 to the siren 104 necessarily requires a multi-wire harness 110 between the siren 104 and the light bar 108 so that the control head 102 can control the operation of the light bar 108. There is a need for a more simplified and less expensive approach for interconnecting the control head with the siren and the light bar which also allows for easier installation.